Tuesday, 23 December 2008

In this weeks programme, there is a section called 'a knitting prescription', which looks at the work that Bestan and Ulrich are doing into knitting and its benefits, remember I was doing the knitting experiment? Well that was for that research :-)

I might be in it somewhere, might not be though, I only spoke briefly because I organised a small knitting group to be interviewed, lol.

I think it will be really interesting to listen to if you love knitting or crochet, Bestan and Ulrich are very knowledgable

Monday, 22 December 2008

Hmm, played with sock machine all afternoon, trying to get the ribber to work, but then some needles broke and I am one ribber needle down, so I might change the formation of the rib, and add some more, but I was hoping to make some last minute socks as presents :-(, anyway we'll see.

Posting for items purchased in the shop.....Shop never closes by the way - nor do I, so there is no reason I will stop blogging or packing parcels!

If you order I will send things out as I get to the post office, and I will slowly update the shop with all the things that are in the stock room, but I'll do it when I am in the mood, lol. There are more things to go in the sale, so I will have a January sale, and then after that probably no sales for a very long time, lol!!!! That will start on the 2nd.

I am very excited, I am getting a spinning wheel for Christmas, and so in preparation I purchased some fixing things for my Patrick green drum carder, which means if it gets fixed there might be some gorgeous carded/blended batts in the shop, one thing I LOVE making, lol. If it doesn't work, then I have been stashing fibres for a little while, so there is no way I am going to run out hehehehehe.

So seeing as for once I might actually have some time off from working, there will be project photo's and progress, carding, spinning, sock machines, knitting - I want to design and knit a scrumptious cabled tank. There will also be a serious amount of cooking going on, if you want to read about that I would keep an eye out on the dinner at the chapel blog, festivities start tomorrow, and so all my cooking trauma success will be recorded there, hehehe. There are some visits from some woolyheads you might recognise, especially on new years, ........

Ok, off to pack last packages, wash linen, tidy chapel, and make myself stay away from fiddling with the evil sock machine.....

Monday, 15 December 2008

OK, everything is nearly finished on new site, but I need to tweak a few things,add some more products, and so Official day of unveiling is tomorrow, which is a relief because I was slightly loosing my mind trying to finish everything and sort out all the orders, lol.

It will be in the same place as the old shop, it will just look a thousand times more gorgeous, lol!!! I will post here when it goes live. I am so so excited, it looks gorgeous as it is now, let alone by tomorrow when I have tweaked my heart out.

I am also going to look at dyeing premises this afternoon, very exciting.

Off to make a huge bacon buttie, have 10 minutes to Calm down, and then back to work it is, and maybe even a little dyeing this afternoon, I am actually getting withdrawal from dyeing now, that's a really really good sign, lol!

Friday, 12 December 2008

Its getting there!! All I have to do is add lots of stock onto it, get the credit card thing to work properly, because I am not too sure yet if its OK or not, and correct all the little glitches and spelling mistakes, lol. I would really like for it to go live on Monday, but seeing as its 3.30 already on Friday, and the credit card people are not talking to me, who knows whats likely. Anyway, if it gets fixed this afternoon, then fingers crossed.

This website does not use an account system like my old one, but to be honest, that should make it easier.

Think its tea and cake time, am in snug with fire on, its quite nice really.....hmmm, I had a question to ask you but can't remember what it was..........

AHH! I know, do you prefer patterns in a pdf form that you can access straight away once you order them, or are you happy for them to be emailed to you? leave a comment if you have a view on this, the new webite has the capacity to do this, but it costs me a monthly fee, and I am just debating whether to do it or not...I do have lots of new scrumptious patterns to put on the website.....yayxxxxxxxx

Thursday, 11 December 2008

ok, ok, I have to dye, its freezing outside, so I am going to have to be creative today and not get cold. Fingers crossed clubs will be posted tomorrow, sorry for the delay folks. New website is nearly done....just have to upload things and finish off shipping and do some

Have new food blog its aptly named 'dinner at the chapel' thanks Elly for the name! I'll put the link on the side somewhere, lol.

Wednesday, 10 December 2008

As you all know, I love blogging; its good for me to get things out of my head, its my communication to the world, a chance to air my dirty laundry to the masses, and generally practice my spelling and grammar.

So I was thinking, I now live with a vegetarian, yes I know shock horror, I actually agreed to live with a vegetarian, what will my mother say? Actually I used to be vegan and then became allergic to wheat, and well, couldn't eat much and so I got over-myself tucked into an organic bacon sandwich (with gluten free bread obvioulsly) and never looked back ;-).

So back to the point, the vegetarian....we have a sort of deal, I do the cooking, and he does the clearing up, think I got the good side of that bargain as Elly will tell you, and also seeing as I now have a kitchen that Nigella would envy, I am really putting my cooking skills to the test, and quite frankly loving every moment of it.

I am loving it so much I was thinking maybe I should start a cooking/restuarant review cooking blog, mainly because I want to document my cooking and also I want some damned answers to my cooking questions, for example, why did my pastry case shrink when I baked it blind? Imagine if that had happened at a dinner party, eek, and no-one has succesfully given me a decent answer as to why, NOT EVEN MUM!!! I know!!!!; the roast potato queen doesn't even have the answer!!!!

And I can take photo's of my yummy things and use it as somewhere to put my recipes on, and I drool over other peoples food blogs, so what the hell, I always wanted to be a restaurant critique in my next life, so whats stopping me? Um nothing .....apart from I can't decide on a name, any suggestions? ...................

Tuesday, 9 December 2008

What a blimin relief! It's here, and I am going to start putting things in the sale from the rather large sale box I need to clear.

At the same time, I will be working on the new shop, so we can get it up in the next few days, I suspect that some yarns will be missed out on the transfer, but I will get most of the main things that sell on, if they are not, just email me, lol.

So, in the mean time I will show you some pics of the chapel, its not quite tidy enough this morning for a photoshoot, but I have some to show you:

This is the outside, lol!!! It is a touch on the huge side hehehehehe!

Thats the view into the kitchen, obviously these are pics without any furnishings, it looks really quite different now, lol.

This is the gallery hall, and is gorgeous.

Thing I was reckoning about this house/chapel, is that it would be really cold, but actually, its extremely toasty, the insulation is amazing! I will wander around this afternoon and take photos of the windows, because when the sun shines through they are stunning.

Wednesday, 3 December 2008

It mean, I have to do all my emails in 45 minutes, and write orders down, which means no messing about getting caught up in wasting time on stuff. I might have to apply this to my new working days!

Its so quiet here, apart from the farm next door. Its divine, the sound of nothing, no shouting, screaming, fighting, screeching cars or traffic! Really quite odd.

I am knackered though, it feels like my first week at a new job, getting my bearings, and computing all the new information.

I investigated the local village/town today, in addition to takeaways and indian food, lol, there is a proper fish and chip shop, gorgeous deli's, veg shops, and a proper sweet shop!! I love it!

ok, better go and do some work, oh forgot to say...... have now properly done the new store room out, and well, there is lots of yarn which needs to go on sale, so, on monday when I get broadband (please universe I need it to go smoothly!), I will be putting it all on sale, so I don't have to put it on the new website....there is quite alot... the space dyed sale will continue onto the new wesbite, because there is about another 100 kilos to go, lol.

Tuesday, 2 December 2008

Well actually, thats not quite true, we don't get internet until the 8th, but there is a gorgeous cafe/farmshop/internet/garage about 4 miles away from the house, and I am here drinking coffee and writing all my orders down, so we are back in business!!!! (and already worked out where the local pub is, and which is the best place to have indain food, and Amanda; they DELIVER!!!!!!!!!! YIPPPPPPEEEE!!!!!!!!!

I am living in a chapel, yep, a huge amazing chapel!! It is a little bit mind blowing, and gorgeous, and huge (3600 sqft), but I have so much stuff, I am a bit shocked about how I could have ever fitted into my little splott house, but what I have noticed is that it feels so different to have space and organisation, I think half my stress before was to do with that, its so easy now to walk into my store room and just pick everything of the shelves, i feel so calm!!

I will take some pictures this week, and post them up when we get the broadband.

Infact the stained windows, original oak doors, and just general gorgeousness of it, has slightly overwhelmed me really.

Wednesday, 26 November 2008

Its my last day today, actually got up at 6am, amazing, and drove to pick u boxes from Marie; I walked out the door, and I could smell the sea, and that early morning Cardiff smell which is like no where else, got in my van, switched the radio on, it was the music to the start of the Chris Moyles show, and I burst into tears, and cried all the way there.

Got back, still in the dark and checked emials, and did some dyeing (the only thing not packed is my gohonzon (buddhist scroll i chant to) and my dyes, lol), at 7am in the morning, lol, how bizarre.

Felt completely and utterly gutted that I was leaving, and felt like part of my heart was shredded into peices. Then Rabab and lynette came round, and we chanted and then for a last breakfast to my fav greasy spoon on splott road, and now I feel much better, and very very exicted.

Cardiff feels more like my home than where I grew up now, the first time I visited, I drove past the university, and I knew in my heart that is where I would be coming and something special was going to happen here. And even though I didn't have enough grades, I just knew it would be ok. I wrote the psychology dept a letter and told them how much I wanted to do the course, and I got in!!

I thought that perhaps the special feeling was about the psychology course, but it wasn't, and I also thought maybe it was about meeting Anth and getting married but it wasn't that either, I am pretty sure that the special thing that cardiff had to teach me was to be true to myself.

If it doesn't feel right, don't do it!! It took a very long time to learn it though, and it only in the last 2.5 years I have consistently listened to that feeling in my belly, and well, my life has never been quite the same since, lol, and now I suppose I have learnt that lesson, its time to leave. Because I really believe I deserve to have an amazing life, which is scary, because I am used to struggling, and not liking myself very much, and spent most of my 20's feeling completely inadequate, and here is how is changed..........

One day about 4 years ago, I came back from my honeymoon to find someone sharing my office with me. I wasn't sure what to think, because I wasn't expecting it, and there was this pretty spanish girl sat next to me, and I was rather intimidated.

It just so happened, that we connected in such an incredible way, that she became my best freind in the whole world, and I had someone to talk to everyday, and share how I was feeling for the first time in 8 years, and it changed everything.

I had someone to reflect with about everything in my life, it was like the universe knew exactly what I needed, and I just started to grow and blossom, weirdly because it was like looking in a mirror, we are so so similar, and I could see her changing at the same time as me, so it was like watching myself.

Sometimes I feel like I had to be in Cardiff to meet Carmen, and I know that that was the special thing that I felt when I drove down that road that day when I first came, and she helped me to be true to myself. Which meant I had the courage to start my own business, and to change things and relationships that had to change, and my god, my life turned upside down, and she was there with me all the way.

And now I am the cheeky confident person I was always meant to be, and I am doing what I am good at, and although the past few years have been tough, because its a little bit like switching the engine off on a huge ship, you have to wait for it to stop moving forward before you can turn it around and its a slow process, and the last few years have been about turning my ship around, and having to battle against all the old causes I have made, but I feel like the front end is actually turning, and I am moving to a place where I am loved, cherished, and I am valued for all the cheekyness I can dish out, I am so so excited, and grateful to Carmen for helping me to make it happen, and to all my gorgeous buddhist freinds and Marie and ofcourse there are more, but too many to name them all.

So there, bit soppy I know, but feels like this is a bit of a momentous day, and I need to write something a bit philosophical to mark it.

Monday, 24 November 2008

House is blatently not packed, all I want is chips and a cup of tea, so might escape to greasy spoon on Splott road in the minute before I loose my tiny mind :-(

Oh and decided it was a stupid idea to launch my website this week, if it has any teething troubles, I have no broadband after wed, or phone line to sort anything out. So, I am will aim for next week, gotta say though, its looking damned cracking, it is totally totally gorgeous.

Friday, 21 November 2008

ok, ok, I was thinking that I am superwoman, and I can keep up with packing orders, move house all on my own, set up new website and dye for an update. But apparently I am not. So instead of stressing myself out like I always used to, I am going to be good, and prioritise.

Mainly because I have orders that need sorting that are important. So, I will update later with some white yarn to go in the sale, but not really much dyed, although there might be some cashmere lace and bits and peices over the weekend, but lets be fair, there is at least 300 kilos of stock on there, another 5 aint gonna make too much difference for a week, lol.

Main thing I am concentrating on is the new website, thankfully the payment gateway thing is taking a few days, which means I can mess about with the shop, and get the hang of it, upload lots of new stock, ooooh! And you will be able to select the currency you wish to buy in, kroner, euro's dollars, etc, yippeeeee!!!

And even better NON VAT COUNTRIES WILL HAVE VAT TAKEN OFF their orders AUTOMATICALLY at the checkout. So if a hank of sock yarn is 11.75, EU, and USA customers, well anyone outside the UK, will get it for 10, (obviously you might get custom charges), but very very excited about this, its really important :-)

ok so am so excited about the website, it really looks a million dollars, and it has a special function to help you look for yarns of your choice, but not telling you any more until it goes live, which will hopefully be next week, fingers crossed, lol.

pics will be displayed very very differently:

Have about 1/5th of house packed into boxes, starting to get slightly anxious now, as have alot of stuff, way too much stuff for a 3 bedroomed house, will be so glad to get to new house, AHEM, I mean chapel, ;-) not tellin you any more, will give you pics soon.

Wednesday, 19 November 2008

Its weird, I can't do normal jobs, and go to work 9 -5, infact, I have never ever had a job apart from working on the checkout at sainsbury's which required me to be on time (and that was at a particularly anal part of my existence.) I can't do times and things, and really I can't do numbers and organising, and such things, well I can, but it goes against my nature which is why sometimes my clubs cause me trauma, and why there is a vague date at which they will arrive, lol!!!

So I love to photograph, dye yarn, and fibres, and have fun, its similar to what I did everyday of my summer holidays when I was a child, and it doesn't feel like work.

But the reality of a business, is that you have to pack lots in to a small amount of time, and you have to do things on time, and crunch numbers, write invoices, collect orders, phone banks, do VAT returns, blah blah blah, and I HATE IT, but I hate it because I am scared of it, not because I can't do it, lol.

So today was a grown up day, I packed a tonne of orders up, sorted out all my paperwork, filled in forms, aranged a huge international shipment, sorted out banks and transfers and such things, and generally all the things that scare me, and I have to be honest, its 5.08pm and I am well chuffed with my self. How weird the wonderful feeling of achievement when you do things which you find hard.

I aint doing any more work tonight, infact I am going to have a glass of wine and go out for dinner to celebrate while I can still walk to a restaurant, where I will be going next week, there aint no restaurants, lol, and .....think there might be more yarn to go in sale, white and coloured, so tomorow is, dyeing in the morning and then alll afternoon I am working on the new website and putting new pics in, and categories and descriptions, how absolutely exciting!! Bet I get up at 7am, lol!!

Monday, 17 November 2008

Was up packcing orders until 12 last night, (something I never resent having to do) mainly to give me a hope in hell's chance of being able to do everything, and go to a concert this evening (kanye West), and add all the things to new wesbite for launch, and pack boxes for move, and sort out wholesale orders which have sort of been piling up with out me noticing. Phew!!!

But am so excited, and have hair on second bleaching today, little bro came and gave me a suprise visit, which was wonderful, and he bleached my hair for me, but its not white white, so I decided to splurge a load on this morning, gulp, really should go and check it, lol.

So am hoping that next update will be on new site, but we have to get the payment providers all sorted out first, yipppppeeee. I am have so many new ideas and new products, including sock blanks which thankfully I have had made commercially, so I can supply them wholesale, let me know if you would be interested.

New website is pretty much finished, but I can't make any new photo's because I can't edit them on this, which is megga dissapointing. I can't use the old pics because they are dispayed on their side, so I am trying to get open office to do it, but the laptop is struggling with the size of the pictures to start with, lol

So, debating whether to show you the link or not, wanted to play with it first for maximum impact, so will wait a little longer....

Anyway, tonnes of fibres for tomorrows update, thats if I can work the photos GRRRRRRRRR

Friday, 7 November 2008

OK, Still adding stock to the shop. Have added a small amount of nef fibres etc for normal update,but those of you who like the bfl solids, I have found ALOT of trials of DK's we did a while back, cherry, deep purple and teal, and the lime/summer green, I have soof the last one, it is in the shop for £2.50 for 100gms.

This will continue till I am cleared out, lol!!!

Have a fab weekend, I have a visit tomy new house and to Liverpool for some fashion inspiration.

Thursday, 6 November 2008

ok, I stopped updating because we needed to clear some of the orders! Boy, you folks love a sale!!!

Anyway, I have lots more to go on, and will continue that later.

I have a new yarn available in the shop from today, and its cashmere, 100% pure, gorgeous, soft mongolian cashmere spin in the UK, after my last cashmere experiences I was less than enamoured by the softness, cashmere should feel very velvety and a cut above, but frequently, it can seem like rope, but this stuff seriously lives up to my expectations.

Because it is mongolian it is beige in colour, which means alot of the dyed colours will be very rich, I can't really achieve pastels in this, so no point in asking me for those, sorry :-(

So, want to see some? - sorry, I still can't edit photo's at the moment on this aeroplane of a laptop, so have posted something imbetween.

The colour is inbetween the two photo's but its delicious and rich

The yardage 1300 per 100gms, it is £10 for 50gms, and its on the site under laceweights, now I need a name for I, think will call it sumptuous, it is the right spelling, lol

Only got purple today, but there will be a few more over the weekend.

right, need a van just for my packages today to go to the post office, lol!

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

ok, so seeing as things feel like they are taking stupedous shape around here, and we are starting to pack for the move, I shall start to add things for the shop for the sale (I do have some things to update, especially fibres and things this week) but for the main it will be white yarn, on cones, and in sample packs for you guys to practice dyeing with, seeing as you love it so much, lol.

There will be mixed lots of sock yarns, thick yarns, and some real treats for you to mess out with.

I also am discounting some of the space dyed yarns which we are discontinuing, and I don't want to carry the whole stock to somewhere else, so these will be at bargain prices from this afternoon, this incudes squishy, its a totally gorgeous yarn, baby alpaca and merino mix, its chunky so knits up so quick, but needs to go, its not part of my line any more so it needs to go lol, it will be reduced to £4.99 per 100gms, which is a complete bargain, you can substitute it for rowan big wool too :-)

The space dyedwool aran and chunkywill be reduced to £3.50 per 100gms, and this stuff is delicious and warm and is super for felting. I will also put the space dyed thick sock on, its perect for warm toasty socks

That sale starts now, and I will start updating the shop from this afternoon with white supplies, as you know I rarely do sales so make the most of it, lol :-)

Tuesday, 4 November 2008

So, the design of the new shop has been decided, the reason it has taken a while is because the back end of the site is as important as the front end, and so we had to mess about with lots of things, but yesterday we agreed that its nearly there so its now being built, lol, but thats exciting, so wondered if you would like to see a little preview, what do you think?The banner isn't quite right at the moment, but its just to get an idea.....

Typepad has shrunk the image so its a bit small, appologies but you get the idea :-)

Monday, 3 November 2008

ok, so I am still waiting for full pictures of my outfit, so that you can see my spiders legs, and mom and pops' costumes, but here is a pic of me and little bro for tasters, lol:

Obviously I have a wig on.....lol

OK, so whats occuring in Splott then apart from things being very busy getting ready for big move?

Well, remember the cashmere lurex? we had it tested, and its ALL cashmere Yippppppppppeeeeeeee. So now I can sell it properly, although we are still unsure of the exact yardage so I will be selling at a price which takes that into account, but keep an eye out on this weeks update for that. Also, I have some new Mongolian pure cashmere lace yarn, which is gorgeous, and spun in the UK, obviously, you know how fussy I am about cashmere :-) That will be in the shop too this week.

OOOOH! And I have lots of white yarn which I don't have in my ranges any more which to be honest is perfect for dyers starting out, so I was thinking of doing some white yarn sample kits. I need to clear out all the old stock - is this something people would be interested in?

Right, today am dying yarn and fibres for clubs, its a gorgoeus sunny day, and very mild, so I am taking advantage of it, and I don't sound as if I have consumption any more so make hay while the sunshines as they say ;-)

Thursday, 30 October 2008

OK, well maybe you can guess from the title what I am going as for my halloween costume. So the winner is Kate who posted the first comment, its such a super duper idea, and I phoned and told mum, and well she has decided that she DESPERATELY WANTS to make my cosume with me tomorrow afternoon, so I am going home early tomorrow so we can spend the day having fun, lol. I had about 20 phonecalls yesterday from her about ideas, and how we can add furry bits onto the arms, and so on and so on.

I decided I wanted to model it based on the spider from james and the giant peach, and so I accidently had to go and buy a pair of red high heels, and a black bobbed wig and some stick on fangs this morning, shoes are gorgeous and were in the sale, yipppppeeeee.

I promise I will take photo's of all of the Hewletts, its going to be so funny!!!

So thanks for all the suggestions, they were all fabulous!!!

So, am in bloody good spirits today, really excited about the party, have new red shoes, mince pies are warming up in the Oven, and lots lovely computer work to do :-) Still not going to brave the cold to do dyeing outside, I don't want to tempt fate, but clubs will be on their way very very soon, seeing as I might be doing a bit of kitchen dyeing tomorrow morning, lol

ooooh forgot, updated shop last night, but most of the sparkly sock went really quick, guess you guys were stalking!! lol so I will do some more really soon.xx

Wednesday, 29 October 2008

I think I figured out why I am miserable. Maybe because I have to climb over boxes of wool to get to the sink, maybe because I have to trip up boxes of wool on the stairs to get to the bathroom, and maybe just maybe because if I ever did fall down my loft ladder it would be ok because I would be cushioned by cashmere, alpaca and merino.

So maybe its a bit like when you have too many small rats in a small cage and they eat eachother because its stressful.

Its ok Elly, I am verging on vegaterianism at the moment, and its the wool, not you luv.

I think the fact that I can't just put my hand on things, and I have to clear boxes out of the way first is just doing me head in. So once I realised that fact, I feel better, because its only temporary, only 32 days to go until I embark on my journey to a house with huge rooms. Seriously, its actually a converted chapel, so that might give you some idea about how big the rooms might be, and alot cheaper than my house, lol, oh the irony of buying a house when house prices are high, anyway, its all sorted and I can't wait to show you pictures, I have studio space of at least the entire floor of my house, imagine wall to wall shelving and organisation, and no loosing wool, Yipppppppppeeeeeeeee.

Ok, I need to shut up and ask you for some advice. I have a dilemma, or rather a problem, a serious one, and I need some serious help......

There is a huge family birthday party on friday night, and the theme is Halloween fancy dress, now my mother has been nagging my brother and I about our outfits for about 2 months, but have I taken any notice, um, nope :-(

She has her outfit down to a T, I get a text every morning to say things like, just bought nails with spides on, or your fathers cape and fangs are finished, and we are on our 5th makeup rehearsal. To which I always laugh and think, oh its ok, I'll wing it. But I did get some rather disturbing words last week, 'you are not going to let the Hewlett side down are you' Gulp, even little bro has a headless horse costume. So, lets just say I am on a budget, but I need something extrodinary, and I need some seriously good advise on a costume, I was thinking about a ghost, or a white witch seeing as I have white hair, and I can make it white white if I bleach it more, but PLEASE I NEED SOME HELP FROM YOU GUYS.

Who ever comes up with the best and most helpful suggestion will win a £20 voucher to the new shop. Leave your answers in the comments.....

Tuesday, 28 October 2008

OK, so I will gloss over the fact that everything falls apart when I have no computer and the fact that I can't update the shop until Elly comes home tonight because this old thing won't do anything with pictures, especally seeing as we have gorgoues sock yarns, silk fibres and sparkly sock yarns.

So, I am being slightly ungrateful things are actually great here, apart from the immediate problems and I need to focus on the nice things instead, lol.

Thanks to someone lovely for buying me a spinning wheel to cheer me up, damn, I can't wait to see it, lol!!! And also my move is sorted, I am about to go and live in the most gorgous house ever ever ever, an it has SO MUCH ROOM that I will never be stressed again with lack of space, lol!!! Thats due to happen at the beginning of dec, so I will have a week off then, but until then I need to get ready for christmas lol, so with the new website and stuff, hopefully this is all just resistance/growing pains because the future is going to be fabulous ;-)

So think I will indulge in some heinz tomato soup and lemon tea and do all my paper work and answering of emials and sort all the loyalty card sticker things out, seeing as I have a few to send to people.

Monday, 27 October 2008

I am in a horrible horrible mood. My laptop is dead AGAIN!!!!!!!!! I am never buying another hp as long as I live. Anyway at least have crappy 10 year old one, which suprisingly is working, and alive, but bit slow with the old pics, so am updating shop today, but its a bit slow so bear with me.

Also have horrible sore throat, and looked about 50 on saturday,although I never moved of the sofa yesterday, (couldn't knit because joints ache so much :-( ) so now I look 40 instead, so thats a little improvement.

I am fed up, fed up of working all the time, and being tired and not having a life, I know its not long to wait for things to change, but I just want out of here, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, 24 October 2008

ok, am dyeing sparkly sock today, so the shop will be updated over the weekend with new sock yarns including the sparkly one and this is megga classy sparkly, it' got real silver in it, so keep your eyes peeled people.

Thursday, 23 October 2008

A few days break from blogging, lol, wasn't intentional, things have just been a little bit mad.

ok, so my little house is well, a little bit small for my business now, anyone who comes knows that they have to climb over boxes to get in the door. So I was feeling like a little change from cardiff for a while, its been quite a tough few years, and I would like a nice fresh start somewhere with no strong memories. So I am moving....not selling house, just renting it out, but moving up north a little bit, somewhere where there is lots of storage space, I won't elaborate until its all been sorted out, but I am well excited.........also Elly has popped home for a few days so things maybe a tiny bit slower than usual, lol!xxx

Friday, 17 October 2008

I had a dream last night that I was living in this massive house with a big dye studio, in the middle of the welsh country side, and I was drinking oaky red wine out of these massive gorgeous big wine glasses by the fire with my bestest freind in the world. My dreams are always rather telling, perhaps its time to think about moving.......

Thursday, 16 October 2008

There are days when I slog my guts out and wonder why I don't give up and travel around the world and have no repsonsibilities, and then there are other days like today, when I get so excited about the gorgouesness I sell, that it makes it all worth it. Like the knitpics options bags from Du Store Alpakka. So if you are a shop and you would like to stock these please contact me and I will send you prices, if you would like to order some as a customer, either please contact your local shop, or you will be able to purchase them through the fyberspates shop. Want to see them?

Inside the main bag are little pockets for the needle ends to go in, and perhaps things like small scissors etc, they are absolutely gorgeous, and are ethically sourced and produced in india They cost £36.70.You can buy the pockets as well seperately if you want a few more, they come in 2's and are £11.89 for 2.

Secondly are the needle sets/ or bags you can buy them with or without the needles:

Next, oh yes, there is a next ;-) there are these cases with gorgeous double pointed (i.e. a hook at both ends!!!) crochet hooks with and again the cases are available with and with out the crochet hooks:

The hook sizes are 3.5mm and 4, 4.5mm and 5mm, 5.5mm and 6mm, 7mm and 8mm, and finally 9mm and 10mm.

These are lovely if you like straights, The needles sizes included are 3.5mm, 4mm, 4.5mm, 5mm, 5.5mm, 6mm, 7mm, and 8mm.The bags on their own cost £20.50 and with the needles £75.00

ok, So I will put them on the Fyberspates website, but please note, theywill be shipped out to customers in a weeks time because I need to place an huge order of them, lol!!!!!! But after that they will be permanently in stock.

Tuesday, 14 October 2008

ok, I am slowly getting all the stock back on the website from pally, that means lace, new colours of solid scrumptious, new mother of pearl buttons, du store alpakka, spindles, btu no fibres, I sold out completely!! lol oh and the new knitpicks cases from Dustore for the needles, I nearly sold out of these too!!!

so, I will pop some things on now, and keep adding photo's here so you can see the yummy scrummy things.....

Starting with the large mother of pearl buttons which are hand dyed and completley stunning, and come on so many colours, its vey very exciting.

I am so desperate for the new website to be finished, mine seems so clunky, its so time for the new one to be here, although it will be at least a week or so yet, but still, I can not wait.

ok here are some of the large buttons:

ok put about 4 kilos of lace on, there is more to come, but fed up of it now, lol!

Saturday, 11 October 2008

So we are having fun, as we always do at shows, Me, Elly, Amanda, Phil, Mr Wool, baby longlegs, and all have been having a blast, we had a minor trauma setting up because we arrived late and there was just a pile of boxes to unpack and we had from 8am until the show opened at 10am to set up, but we made it, and we are having a ball.

Per from Du store came and made a suitcase delivery of knitpicks needles in new gorgeous needle cases, specially made for them, and boy they are yuuuuuuuumy, the yarn has gone down a storm, so I am so excited about distributing Du Store, I feel very privaledged, and glad I have got such great feedback about the range. I will be selling the cases for the needles and the dpns, and crochet hooks from next week, but I will write a proper blog about them for you.

So, are off out for dinner, and I will try not to drink to much wine, lol,

Monday, 6 October 2008

Always when I do shows there are so many things I want to make, but I never have time to finish all the little details and decorations, and fulfill all the cute ideas I have for yarn, but the weekend was perfect for doing all the things I normally don't have time to do, well actually, I did nothing on Saturday apart from sit in front of the TV in my pj's and cast on for the February lady sweater in my cherry Aran, its such a pretty pattern, I just had to, and read my Elizabeth Zimmerman books I bought in the USA, it was a super duper day, it was pouring with rain after all.

The yesterday Elly, Karen and I spent the day making things for the stand, Karen made lots of little mini socks, which are gorgeous to go on the sock peacocks and just hang around, and Elly wound lots of mixed skeins with the cashmere lurex and mohair's, for kits and little pretty skeins, they are so cute!! I will start doing them as a regular thing after Ally pally, because they are a bit special. And I made some tubes, printed patterns and signs, worked out all the prices for Du Store yarns, and I think apart from dyeing yarn today and tomorrow we are getting there. lol

Friday, 3 October 2008

ok, I don't know why, but I am on a total lurex trip at the moment, I can't stop buying things with beads, sparkles and lurex. Hence the new sock yarn which is coming.

But today I have something a little bit fun, Occasionally I get offered something a bit different, and if I am in the mood I buy up the whole stock, this time I only bought 20 kilos to try it out, but I have some lurex/cashmere/wool lace weight. Its spun in the UK, so even though I won't sell cashmere spun anywhere other than peru or here, I am a million time more happy if its spun in the UK.

As with all odds and ends of stocks, there is a mixture, we had some of the colours tested and some of the yarn is definately pure cashmere, and a small amount some has come up as a fine micon wool, but that was only the black, all of it is lovely and soft, but seeing as I can't 100% guarentee that its all cashmere I will sell it all at the same price. (I also don't know the yardage, but I suspect it ranges from 600m per 100gms upwards again depending on the colour)

I intend to make some cute mixed yarn kits with this, but there is too much for just those, so we have wound lots of approximately 100gm skeins off and they are all going to be £7.50. I will keep adding them to the shop as we go today and the next couple of days. It a bargain treat for sure, perfect for a little scarf, or stole for a christmas outfit :-)

ok lastly, I have to show you this, remember my grape vine, well I have 3 of these on it, they are quite sharp, but wonderful :-)

ok and lastly...... new pattern for the lace yarns, its totally gorgeous..... and its called lynns diamond shawl, after the designer Lynn.

Wednesday, 1 October 2008

Didn't bother with the rain yesterday, I stayed indoors and did all the things I needed to do like get my VAT return finished, things ordered for Allypally, sorting transport and shipping for allsorts, and it was such a therapeutic thing to do, what a relief!!! All those things out of my head meant that I just slept so well last night, that I feel totally buzzing again today, probably the coffee is helping, foots stiff as hell, but will just make sure its wrapped up well for todays dyeing session, and the sun is shining in full today, so its just perfect.

So Elly and I are getting into good knitting rhythms, she suggested I stopped working in the nights and had some proper chilling time, and so I have been knitting, and I have been using my tilly thomas yarn, its totally lovely to knit with, silk is my favourite fibre ever, and I am desperate to have a pure silk top, well lots of them, but one would be a good start, so I thought I would show you my progress so far.....

and here is a clopeup of the fabric, with the little sequins...

And this is Elly's amazing arm length gloves she has been knitting, its chunky scrumptious in olive contrasted with a strand of her hand spun, its totally gorgeous, she is writing up the pattern I think and putting it on her blog soon....

ok, so for allypally we have some new treats, sparkly sock yarn, which I will show you some samples of later new scrumptious colours, which I cannot wait to see, (thats if they turn up in time, gulp), the gorgeous Du store yarns and wonderful buttons and accessories to go with it.

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

OK, so really really enjoyed the weekend, and actually even though I am knackered, it was great to get out of the house and not get overwhelmed by work which was what was happening, foot is much better although kind of stiff, I can walk, so that means I can dye wool, although it is pouring with rain, so I am kind of trying not to think about it too much.

Although, along with the fact that I am nearly out of scrumptious solids, so that needs to arrive from afar, spindles have to make it here, Du store alpakka (which I know will be fine), but can't fit the stand in my van, and I haven't started dyeing yet because I have to finish orders and clubs. Gulp.

So while I was lying in bed this morning I got a text from down stairs saying, 'your gohonzon (buddist scroll that I chant to) is missing its gongyo, (the act of chanting)' from Elly, which made me laugh and laugh and laugh, so I did, and plenty of it, and I feel ok, and relieved that I have Elly to help me, and to make me chant because it stops me loosing the plot, lol!!!

So, I am off to wrap up warm, and venture out into the garden, dye some yarn for the clubs and dream about a holiday in Dubai, where I do nothing except lounge on a warm beach drinking cocktails, and there is no yarn anywhere, absolutely none, and there is no rain, so the person that dangled that little carrot, you'd better get counting your airmiles..........

Friday, 26 September 2008

I twisted my foot today, now it has a hug lump on it and I can't bloody walk, let alone drive to chester, so I sent a huge box of yarn up to chester, and I am catchng the train up tomorrow morning because I can't drive. So didn't really finish all my dyeing I was meant to, and instead sat and ate chocolate biscuits, drank tea and finished harry Potter.

Was slightly frustrated, and nearly drove Elly mad with requests, but hey, I guess its a sign, need to take it a bit easier :-(.

So if your coming tomorrow, look foward to seeing you :-) just don't expect a hug, seeing as I'll be confined to a chair with my knitting.

Wednesday, 24 September 2008

Needles at the ready.innocent drinks are running their Big Knit campaign again this year to helpraise money for Age Concern to keep older people warm over the winter. They'relooking for knitters to knit lots of little hats for their smoothie bottles, foreach one sold they and Sainsbury's will give 50p to Age Concern. Last year over400,000 hat were knitted raising £200,000 for Age Concern and this year they'reaiming for ½ a million hats!

That may sound like atall order but with a Big Knit blog and fantastic new hat patterns for you totry each week there is plenty of inspiration. There will be competitions inSimply Knitting and Let’s Knit out in the middle of September and Knittingmagazine is showcasing hat patterns from the well-known hand knit

Monday, 22 September 2008

I am just about to leave for the depths of my shed to get my work done. Had a fun weekend, Remi my adorable freind came to stay from Japan, sadly for only 2 nights, it has been 2.5 years since she lived with us, and we have a very very special connection, I love her so so much, she was 18 last time I saw her, now she is beautiful young woman, and I am so proud of her. I made the determination that I am going to stay with her in Japan next year. She bought me such cute presents.....

A felted cake book, which as in all japanese books the diagrams are so good, you don't need to understand the text, and the weird thing is that I decided I wanted to do peice of artwork with lots and lots of cupcakes on it, a huge picture to go behind my sofa. So now I don't really have an excuse, I think I will mix knitted, crocheted and felted cupcakes....

Thursday, 18 September 2008

I don't really need to say much more do I? Taking advantage of this gorgeous weather to get all the wholesale finished, getting there, but sometimes when you have to dye 4 kilos of one colour, it makes you really really really hate that colour, and you never ever want to see it again...

ooooh just remembered, have a new lace weight, but this is serious lace weight, it has 3000m per 100gms, its gorgeous, and its pure silk and it damned thin, and even better retails at £15, not bad huh? Will take photo's tomorrow.

Wednesday, 17 September 2008

So, seeing as the new website is being designed and built I need to work on my skills of photography to match the image, and my pics are a bit hit and miss, it normally depends on the weather lol.So I invested in some proper kit to take them so I can stop stressing about it, and here is the result of this mornings messing about, not bad I think.....

Elly's Spinning

Red aran scrumptious

New hat pattern

gorgeous scrumptious.......

I have lots and lots to practice, but I am getting the hang of it. Am so so so excited about the new website, I would love it in time for Allypally, but you know......

Monday, 15 September 2008

slightly head scrambled, but its ok, have Elly, would be drowning other wise!!

ok, so Birmingham was really good fun, I was next to the spinners and weavers guild, so I really really enjoyed that, got to try out lots of spinning wheels, and the one I kept loving was the Kromski Sonata, I will have to have one eventually, perhaps I will treat myself after Allypally.

So, I will update the shop this afternoon (about 4ish), but I have to take Sophie to the vets first, her blind eye is looking really dodgy, although she doesn't seem to be bothered, poor little monkey.

Friday, 12 September 2008

It's Elly, Jen's second in command (well, maybe I'm third in command... or fifth maybe, after the cats?). And yes, that is the best photo I could manage.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that while Jen is away at Birmingham this weekend I have put a mini update in the shop - 2 self-striping sock hanks in Lime Lizard (I only have those because they were still too damp to go with Jen when she left on Wednesday), and the rest is stuff that I've put in the category of 'Clearance' in the shop. This is stuff that hasn't sold for quite a while. It is at least 50% off the usual price, and if the first batch of stuff sells quickly, then I shall put some more up.

But only if it sells quickly, because I'm not great at taking pictures, and it takes quite a while to upload it all. I'm glad I don't do it every week! That is one thing that I will not be taking over permanently!

I want to get all the random odds and sods out of the yarn room, so I can make it super tidy and to make space for the extra yarn and fibre that Jen will be able to dye now that I am doing some of the admin side of the work!

I've just spoken to Jen and she says to tell you that she is having a great time, and that her stand is next to the Spinners and Weavers Guild stand. What's the betting she comes home with a table loom???

I have sent all the parcels that I can, although there are still a few outstanding, which will have to wait until Jen comes back (Monday). Sorry, but you wouldn't want me to send you the wrong thing, would you!?

And to those who are placing orders over the next few days:

I solomnly swear to send those grey packets out to you just as fast as I can.

Wednesday, 10 September 2008

OK, so this afternoon I am setting of the the stitching show in Birmingham NEC, never been there before and so I am not exactly sure what its going to be like, but thats ok, I have replenished lots of the yarn, but am still debating whether to do a little update or not, but we'll see how I get on with packing the van, lol.Anyway, I have a few garments which are previews for the scrumptious book, so I am mightily chuffed to have those.

So, the postman just knocked on the door and asked for my signature, and teased me for being in the echo, I was kind of hoping noone would notice.......hehehehe, yes Judy, I am a media Hor ;-p

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Blimey charlie, I am in the echo newspaper, on page 25, and there is a wholepage picture of me modelling one of my cardi's. Its an article about knitting, and stitch and bitch, absolutely fabulous, apart from spelling Fyberspates wrong, and one or two other things, its totally great, lol!!!!

I bought a few copies for my mam, and sheila lol.

ok, updating shop in the mo with some bits and peices and then I need to dye wool for birmingham.

Monday, 8 September 2008

OK, it was totally the madest day ever, so much fun, but soooooo busy. Was going to update the shop.......um, but there is no stock left.........gulp. No stock currently for birmingham (Don't worry though, there will be.....) I will update the shop tomorrow morning.

It was so much fun, (This is Elly's account of the day, v funny) we woke up at 5am to get there, and we found it no problem, and from that moment on it was so busy, I saw lots and lots of my fav customers, it was just fabulous!!! Elly had a great time too, but we didn't even have time to take photographs.

Met the Yarn Harlot, and she is a complete delight, and she liked my one and only pink and lime self striping sock, lol!!! I even got a book signed, so I was mightily chuffed with that.I didn't get to see the talk, but Elly did, and by the sounds of it, it was really really good.

It truly was a fabulous day. Anyone got pics on their blogs, and I'll link to you......xxxxx

Friday, 5 September 2008

Ok, so I finished the first sock machine sock this morning, now all the clubs have gone I feel less guilty, lol. Its not quite long enough for suspenders, but is just over the knee, and with some elastic will stay there perfectly. But have to go and buy some shoes this afternoon and maybe a little kilt/skirt to go with them :-)

One or two little holes, but each time I do it it gets better:

How exciting!!!!!

So we are driving down to Iknit in the morning, very very early, but you can all meet Elly, and I have so many treats for the stand its one big bright blur of colour in my house at the mo.

See you tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then shop will be updated on Monday, I will take most of the lace, sock and fibre stock off about 5pm, so if you have been thinking about buying something you have till 5 to do it.

Thursday, 4 September 2008

OK, so getting way too excited about Saturday (Iknit show with the yarn harlot) I cannot wait, I have a whole new stand, (no more piles of yarn) well, actually that depends on the stand we will have, I have heard something about market style stands, which are not exactly practical, but could be fun, lol!!!

Then guess what else? I am doing the show in Birmingham NEC next week, I haven't ever done it before, so it'll be fun to see what it is like :-) I am on stand J21 any one got plans on going?

So yesterday late afternoon it was raining so damned hard I gave up on dyeing, although tucked in my little workshop, the rain was lashing down so hard that the doors wouldn't stay shut from the inside, so I warmed up and set up my sock machine, its been calling me for a few days now, and after seeing Sheila use hers, I kind of understood alot more how to use it. I made a couple of tubes, then set about trying a heel. I made about 5 heels, all with silly holes in them, until I got to the 6th, and changed my technique, and then I got a near perfect heel, the reason is I want to wear thigh high self striping socks on Saturday, possibly with suspenders or something similar holding them up, what a complete laugh that would be huh? But obviously I have to make them on the machine, so tonight seeing as stitch and bitch is at mine, I will be practicing the toe, and maybe making them, Just not sure what colour to choose......

Anyway, want to see some pics?

Ok, this is the first attempt at the heel, which was a complete disaster, in fact about 4 looked this bad.....

Next was the best attempt, the hole was where I did it the previous method on the first stitch and then promptly changed it:

Much better huh?

Then here is a nice long tube I made with a skein of Autumn self striping, how lush is this:

Ignore the mess, no damn it, stop looking!!!!!

OK, and here is a closeup:

I just want to spend the whole day on the machine, but I mustn't, have so much dyeing to do its unreal.

OK, so votes for a mini skirt and full length socks and possibly suspenders on Saturday?

Tuesday, 2 September 2008

So the past couple of weeks have been a bit challenging, money wise, time wise, all sorts of wise, lol, but I knew it wouldn't last forever,I just had to keep smiling and work hard. Yesterday I was skint, tired, fed up and completely affected by all the talk of recession.

Then I woke up this morning, and the sun was shining through the window. Monkeys were purring happily on the end of the bed, I could hear the clinking of washing up in the background. I wandered down stairs, to find all my washing out on the line, the kitchen tidy, had mild panic how I was going to finish all work on my list for today. 'Thats ok' said Elly, 'I will pack shop orders and clubs, you go and do some dyeing', I sort of blinked, nearly cried; whelmed up with extreme gratefulness, found enough coffee to make a large cup, cut a large slice of fig and raspberry cake(oddly which was made from random garden and cupboard ingredients) and wandered down the to the shed and switched the radio on. I felt like an old husband who was fussed by his wife.Money sorted itself out too, and actually, no actually!!! working on wholesale orders today, and will hopefully be able to get them finished.

Am happy, really really happy, I feel like all the strain just melted away this morning.

PS, secret person, thanks too, you always make me smile and laugh when I am miserable, and also Karen, lovely lovely lady who also helps and regularly supplies me with random fruits and veges, and knitpicks needles, I feel like I don't thank you both enough.

Monday, 1 September 2008

When fyberspates grows, it always results in me being so busy I struggle to keep up, and also I end up eating pasta for a week, this week I have lived on crumpets, I never want to see another damned crumpet as long as I live.

But 3 things keep me going....

1. new website is going to be mind blowing.

2. Elly arrives in 1 hour and 59 minutes.

3. At least if I loose weight due to no food some of my old clothes will fit.

Friday, 29 August 2008

OK, TODAYS UPDATE is mammoth, and I really mean mammoth, tonnes of everything. Its going to take a few hours to take the photo's so I guess it'll start in about late morning. I'll update this post as we go too. And there is no rain, no trauma, no wet yarn to stop me today, feeling slightly anxious as its not normally this easy, lol! Think it was all that cleaning, its sort of cleaned my head out as well.....

And the second reason I am bubbling over today, is because Elly (chief Fyberspates Designer and owner of Magpie Eyes Designs) arrives in approximately 72 hours to join Fyberspates HQ, (including me and special invisible secret person, ofcourse). She is coming for quite a while, well sort of semipermantently, and well I am so excited I can not tell you, it means that finally this little company which has nearly full grow wings will be getting them out and flapping into the huge big world of wool with a bit more force. It will result in a large presence in the the UK market and help with the US one too, and that makes me extremely excited. She is a super worker, amazing designer and a lovely freind who like me loves gin and tonic, and always helps me keep focused and inspired. You will see lots and lots of her, and her new haircut means she is an official fyberspates groupy, even though she will kill me for saying that!! Of course she will be at all the shows with me. How exciting!!! Yipeeeeee!!See you later.

ok so finished most of the yarns, and some spindles, but there is more to go, Struggling to get the density of the colours with the camera, I need to sit down and read the manual this weekend, the pictures don't do the yarn justice, expecially the greens and golds.

So this week we have the addition of a new yarn, called shimmer, its a fingering weight silk soft as anything, and 400m to 100gms, its gorgeous, completley gorgeous. I decided to stock it because I keep seeing lots of lacey cardi's and camisoles, and really there is nothing better than to knit something so luxurious. There is as always enough yarn in each colour to make a garment, I always dye at least 500gms of each colour in each yarn so that garments are do-able.

Thursday, 28 August 2008

Funny how things turn out sometimes. Especially when you decide to look after the people around you more. I can be quite an elusive friend sometimes because I always feel like I don't have time to give to people, but recently I have been changing that alot, and spending time with people and just taking notice of them, and obviously it started with my brother and that was wonderful. Yesterday was weird it took lots of courage because I have a friend who needed help. I wasn't sure how the 'help' was going to happen but it turned out OK, I decided to take action and then really had to have some time to take it in. I was OK, and thanks so much for the lovely comments/emails, I smiled every time they came in, and knew I was getting good vibes, and I really needed them, so thanks.so much :-), the situation couldn't have turned out better, it was exactly what I had chanted for, it will be an ongoing situation, but I feel like I can contribute to the best of my ability.

So I spent the rest of the afternoon just taking stock of what happened in the morning went to lunch with a dear friend, got home and cleaned, and cleaned, and cleaned, and then I watched TV and spun yarn. I haven't had an afternoon/eve like that since I can remember, not for a few years anyway. I even dusted between my radiators, washed the skirting boards, tidies shelves that hadn't been touched since Anth lived here, I suppose it was symbolic of changes, of growing. I'm a bit philosophical today, lol!

So I also decided that I seeing as I always knit my yarns, I would interject them with fun projects too, because it puts a strain on your knitting Mojo to have to knit for work, and so I decided to knit all the gorgeous yarns I have. So this is my 'taking on a car/train/bus project': its just a simple feather and fan in Koigu that I purchased in the USA:

This is hand spun by babylonglegs, if you fancy something yummy and fun, I totally recommend this hand spun, its soft, even, and stripes in the most gorgeous way, I am very very in love with this yarn, she is a truly talented spinner, and a sweetie pie to go with it, I am making a tank top......this is my mindless thing I can knit anywhere:

And yarn closeup:

This yarn inspired me to spin, I managed to fix my wheel, and this is the result, its not great, little bit uneven, but I like it:

Its the scrumptious blend in Leprechaun.I need to spin the rest up, and then I think I'll make a hat.

And then maybe once these are finished or when I just feel like casting on, here are two of the skeins I got from the USA, I have 3 Tilly Thomas disco lights (the one on the left) and 2 of the bamboo yarn on the right. I have enough of each for some pretty tank tops. I do have a pattern, but does anyone know of anything really really cute I could make, suggestions would be gratefully received, especially seeing as its not everyday you have 3 skeins of Tillie Thomas, lol.